Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra - Lee Actor
This concerto exploits the considerable dramatic and expressive possibilities of the saxophone, treating it as seriously as other instruments more commonly found playing in front of a symphony orchestra are treated. The result is a piece that expresses a full range of emotions, from intensely dramatic to poignantly lyrical to slyly humorous to triumphantly joyful. The first movement begins with an intense, declamatory statement in the orchestra, which builds to a brief climax before ushering in the first entrance of the solo saxophone. After an unaccompanied cadenza-like passage, the solo saxophone presents a transformation of the urgent opening theme into a more relaxed, thoughtful melody, accompanied by strings. This idea is explored and leads to a second, livelier theme with a quirky, extroverted gypsy-like character. After a rousing climax and a cadenza for the saxophone, the opening material returns, followed by a brief and quiet coda. The second movement begins with a lonely saxophone solo, which becomes a wistful, yearning melody accompanied by pulsating strings. As other instruments take up the melody, the saxophone plays increasingly elaborate figurations, leading to a brief but intense climax. The solo saxophone is alone once again, and the main theme is reprised in its simplest form, ending quietly. The finale is colorful and full of energy and high spirits. The vigorous first theme is marked by the relentless presence of triplet rhythms, while the second theme is more playful in character. Soon another new theme is introduced, which leads to a reprise of the material from the beginning of the movement, though nothing is quite the same as before - unexpected turns and harmonic surprises abound. A brief coda ends the movement with a flourish. Composer and conductor Lee Actor (b. 1952) has won a number of awards for his compositions, most recently for Dance Rhapsody, which won second place in the 2011 American Prize for Orchestral Composition. He is currently Composer-in-Residence and Assistant Conductor of the Palo Alto Philharmonic in northern California. |
